Waugh's a leading example to the boys of Bankstown

As an old Bankstown boy, seeing the much deserved praise given to Steve Waugh on his retirement, I became quite reflective on the Bankstown of my youth. It was a good place, despite outside opinion to the contrary.

My Bankstown generation has provided Australia with three outstanding leaders: Paul Keating, Frank Cicutto (CEO of the National Australia Bank), and Waugh. They are in addition to the many good and decent people who are raising their families and getting on with their lives. This generation is a credit to our education system and society and debunks the many critics of Bankstown.

I am sure the present generation of Bankstown kids will grow into law-abiding citizens, making a contribution to our society, despite the criticism continuing. Who knows what potential leaders there are among them? Please give them a chance.

Bob Ellis, Sydney, November 27.

Like so many Australian cricket fans, I'm keen to be at the SCG for the fourth Test against India and witness Steve Waugh's farewell to international cricket.

But here's the problem: do I buy a day three ticket and cheer for the ruthless, foot-on-the-throat Steve Waugh? Do I buy a day four ticket and bid adieu to the efficient Steve Waugh? Or do I buy a day five ticket and salute the gritty, right-down-to-the-wire Steve Waugh? This isn't going to be easy for us either, Steve.

Matthew Thomason, Dulwich Hill, November 27.

It's good to see that this sporting obsessed nation has its priorities in order. On a news update on Wednesday night's ABC TV the order of importance went: a) Steve Waugh's announced retirement from cricket; b) Simon Crean's leadership woes; c) the arrest of a major suspected terrorist. Say no more.

Rose Panidis, Orange, November 27.

If anything, the Indian Government should make Steve Waugh an honorary citizen of India. This should be bestowed on him, not just for the cricketing reasons, but also for the humanitarian side that he has shown, which is so lacking these days among celebrities.

Sanjeev Sinha, Belmont (US), November 27.

I was very disappointed to read the heading "Did he quit, or was the writing on the wall?" (Herald, November 27) over a photo of Waugh about to announce his retirement.

Certainly the article praised his career, but it is the heading which immediately grabs the reader's attention and I think that it's a cheap shot; in fact, it may even be a "wrong 'un".

Mary Milton, Kenthurst, November 27.

Any chance we could have "Tugger" writ large in lights on the Harbour Bridge for New Year's Eve and during his final Test match?

Tim Wilson, Neutral Bay, November 27.

Now that Steve Waugh has decided to call time on his gloriously successful career, how long will we have to wait before the next Australian knows what it is like to play in an Ashes losing team?

Gavin Upex, Woodston (UK), November 27.

Blimey. We lose Bill one day, Steve the next. My mum said these things happen in threes, so who's next ... John? ... Simon?

Peter Bennett, Currabubula, November 27.

I don't suppose Stephen Waugh is available to lead the Labor Party?

Graham English, Eastwood, November 27.

Steve Waugh for G-G, or first president of the republic.

Frank Walker, Budgewoi, November 27.

Admit you were wrong, bleeding hearts

Now that the truth is beginning to emerge about the Kurdish so-called "asylum seekers", I wonder if the politicians, ferals and hooray Henry socialists who were, as usual, vocal in their condemnation of the Government's stance on illegal immigration, might be equally willing to admit they were so wrong ("Mosman's accused people smuggler", Herald, November 27).

Frank Davie, Long Jetty, November 27.

What? There's a kebab shop in Mosman?

Damian Clarke, Neutral Bay, November 27.

Block them, Ku-ring-gai

In wrecking the uniqueness of Sydney's Ku-ring-gai with the development of multilevel blocks of flats, Bob Carr is doing to the area what Robert Askin couldn't do to The Rocks ("Ku-ring-gai faces a surge in five-storey unit blocks", Herald, November 27). And the blocks won't stop at five levels.

Perhaps it's time for the people of Ku-ring-gai to pull their heads out of their lifestyle and do something about it.

Jack Doherty, Lindfield, November 27.

Think about it

I was encouraged that Miranda Devine should write on such a solicitous theme as the art of introspection ("Moral victory of the inner game", Herald, November 27).

I was disappointed that she should forsake the opportunity for social inclusiveness and turn her essay into a petty polemic against left-wing activists. I was puzzled that she seemed to imply that she herself is free of "blind self-righteousness", "hatreds" and "dimly understood positions" and writes with a "humility that comes from knowledge of yourself and your own failings".

I can only exhort her with the proverb quoted by Jesus - "Physician, heal thyself" - to spend more of her own time in introspection. It may eventually temper her journalistic intolerance and lead her into the path of a deeper wisdom.

The Reverend Dr Stephen Reid, Cherrybrook, November 27.

Miranda Devine cites Amir Taheri, who says "power won in the streets produces [rule by the worst]". What about the people power that overthrew Marcos in the Philippines? Or demonstrations in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and, more recently, in Georgia? There are plenty of instances where power won in the streets has meant a change for the better.

And those who don't like the message of the demonstrators should organise their own rallies. It's supposed to be a free country so get out there and march.

David Skidmore, Dulwich Hill, November 27.

Lament for our harbour

How sad it is that after 215 years of Sydney Harbour as a working harbour, P&O has dispatched its last ship from its White Bay terminal ("Harbour vision lacks serious plans: report", Herald, November 27)?

For those who thought that Bob Carr would not really do it, it will come as a shock. Soon, instead of the interesting, vibrant harbour we have all grown up with, it will lose its character and become little more than a lake. All in the name of a money grab by the State Government which will turn the land over for even more apartments.

As a keen historian, Mr Carr wants to be remembered; as perpetrator of this disaster, he will not be forgotten, nor forgiven.

John Howarth, Cremorne, November 27.

Out of a job, Mr Carr

I applaud Mr Carr's courage in pushing the local government amalgamation. Once NSW has a dozen or so super-councils the State Government will be totally irrelevant and may be dispensed with. The savings in money and red tape will be monumental.

Carol Gordon, Concord, November 27.

Sex in the lab

Bettina Arndt's article ("Fantasy as the facts of life", Herald, November 25) criticising the work of scientists discovering links between an active sex life and a healthy body and mind was incredibly sexist.

She makes the huge assumption that all scientists are male. If she ever visited a research laboratory she would find that many of us who work there are female, often outnumbering our male counterparts.

She also perpetuates the tired old chestnut that women just don't like sex as much as men and therefore men must find ways of persuading us to let them have their wicked way with us. I thought that sort of rubbish went out with the ark. Does Ms Arndt think women just lie back and think of Australia?

As a young, intelligent woman, I find this all rather insulting. Has it not occurred to Ms Arndt that some of those scientists she quotes are female researchers, trying to find ways to persuade their potential male suitors to have sex with them more often?

Dr Julie Christie, Farrer (ACT), November 26.

School's for sharing

We need more of this pooling of resources between public and private schools ("Sydney Boys' knows how to rock the boat: invite the girls over to share your shed", Herald, November 27). Why not have as a condition to private schools receiving government funding that they allow local public schools to have free use of their facilities two or three times a year.

An example would be an end-of-year concert (when private schools have already gone on holidays). Many public schools hire commercial halls for this purpose as parents and children can't fit into public school halls, when down the road the local private school has state-of-the-art facilities lying empty.

L. Anderson, Bronte, November 27.

Better than terrorists

Danny Kidron (Letters, November 27) asks us to protest against the bombers instead of the US and Australian governments. Can we abandon this tired line of reasoning? Nobody denies that every act of terrorism is a tragedy. The difference is that we expect (and are entitled to) far better from our government than from murderers.

The burden of a free, liberal and democratic society is to act with more consideration than those who would destroy us. To do any less would be to destroy ourselves. But please, raise a banner against the Baathists, al-Qaeda or whoever, if you really think it will help.

Eric Herman, Woollahra, November 27.

We haven't the energy

Subscription rates to green power schemes are declining in NSW ("Pricey Green Power leaves households cold", Herald, November 27)? No wonder, when energy suppliers are disconnecting existing green energy customers and refuse to accept new subscribers.

I had been buying Energy Australia's greenhouse-friendly "Pure Energy" for several years when I needed to sign a new contract in order to combine gas and electricity. Before signing, I was assured that I would still receive Pure Energy. Only when I got my first bill I noticed that Energy Australia had switched me back to its basic energy rate. When I complained, I was informed that unfortunately Pure Energy was not available under the new contract.

Friends of mine, who intended to subscribe to Pure Energy last year, were told that this option was not available to new customers because there were not enough environmentally friendly power plants in NSW. The competitor, AGL, didn't even offer green power when contacted several months ago.

Horst Schwarz, Glebe, November 27.

Blown away by a mind-numbing gift

Les Herbert has placed his order for a leaf blower (Letters, November 27). I recommend this to all readers.

Four years ago I gave one to my wife, who is now besotted by this mind-numbing contraption. In fact, she makes frequent forays into the far corners of the block in this once quiet corner of suburbia in retaliation to the din set up by the neighbours' dogs. Works beautifully.

Doug McLaughlin, Bonnet Bay, November 27.

When we lived in leafy Pymble, we never knew the neighbours - it's bad form to get too pally, at least for the first decade.

However, we certainly knew his first name, because that was all the wife ever screeched at him every time he used the leaf blower.

J. Archer, Waitara, November 27.

The person who invented the leaf blower should be hunted down and prosecuted for crimes against humanity.

Tom Cowen, Alotau (PNG), November 27.

Accent worth using

A woman loses part of her brain and starts talking like a Pom ("Cor Limey, American loses accent after stroke", Herald, November 27). Too delicious to let go by without an "I thought that could be the case", especially after the bagging everyone not English has received since the Rugby World Cup went north.

Criminal liaisons

Future hindsight

Do not despair if your guru's predictions for the future prove inaccurate; you can always rely on market observers to provide accurate predictions of the past.

Mustafa Erem, Terrigal, November 27.

Just a walk away

Melinda Hoffman must be kidding (Letters, November 27). Why would you bother to catch a train from Newtown to the CBD? Surely walking would be far more efficient.

Stan Bear, Rozelle, November 27.

Star idea for Toaster

We've seen that something the bulk and shape of the Star Princess can float serenely up the harbour.

Why not attach the Toaster to a few tugs, tow it up to anchor off Point Piper and let the rest of us see the Opera House again from the Quay? With fireworks to celebrate, of course.

Nedra Orme, Neutral Bay, November 27.

Middle-aged complaint

I object to Paula Goodyer's implication that middle age starts at 40 ("Never too late to hit the road", Herald, November 27).

Everyone knows that middle age begins at 65.

Michael Egan (age 55), Parliament House, Sydney, November 27.

There's an obvious choice, if Labor really wants to win

Why John Faulkner is not the Opposition leader is because he is in the Senate and of the Left (Letters, November 27).

To win, Labor needs to think beyond faction and outside the lower house. They need to find a member willing to retire now, enable a by-election and arrange for John Faulkner's move to the House of Representatives to take on the leadership to allow Labor to win Government. The question is: does Labor really want to win and are there members prepared to take the steps needed?

Don Beresford, Surry Hills, November 27.

John Faulkner can never be leader as long as the power block live in fear of being shown up as fools.

Richard Lynch, Waterloo, November 27.

So the unedifying spectacle of the Labor caucus scratching for direction and leadership continues. The terminally uninspiring versus the threadbare retread.

Surely it's time to move beyond conventional political wisdom, ignore the dictates of the desperately ordinary gnomes of Sussex Street, dismiss the legacy of Richard Court's handiwork and instead pay attention to the Labor Party's rank and file. Carmen Lawrence is the only one with the skills, strength and moral courage to take on John Howard.

Richard Doyle, Leura, November 27.

What's wrong with Simon Crean? He doesn't thump the table, doesn't shout, doesn't point his finger menacingly: that's what's wrong with him. He speaks and argues coherently, doesn't preen himself compulsively like his predecessors and seems to be a good bloke, not a tricky lawyer. Yet some of his colleagues want to dump him. Do it and you'll be undone.

A.B. Somssich, Chatswood, November 27.

The path to government for Labor is as easy as ABC - Anyone But Crean.

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